Broken Love
by ILoveMyChickens
Summary: Bella is a sophomore with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. She is in remission but knows that at any time, the cancer could easily return and kill her. When some strangely beautiful new kids move into her school, including the dashing Jasper Hale, Bella finds herself breaking her promise to never fall in love. Will these strangers be able to save Bella? Will she be able to learn to love?
1. Chapter 1

It all started with the bruises. Since I'm naturally one of the clumsiest people alive, I never paid that much attention to them. They would show up on my legs and arms, and even occasionally my hands, but since I was always tripping and falling I just assumed they were from that. Then the fullness started. Every morning I could wake up and eat a small container of yogurt and be full for the rest of the entire day. Of course I still had to cook for Charlie (even though I was an eighth grader and he was an adult) but I could barely eat a bite at dinner without getting sick to my stomach. My friends at school thought I was anorexic since I never ate and was losing weight. Charlie blamed it on the move. He said adjusting was rough and my appetite would go back to normal soon. It didn't. And then the spots started. Petechiae, is what I now know they're called. They are small little red dots that appear on your skin. Or in this case, my whole body. And after a few days they started turning purple and it was a terrifying thing to look at. So Charlie took me to the local Forks Hospital and they drew my blood. Cancer. That was their dialysis. I had Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Now fast forward two years later. I am now a sophomore at Fork's High and after several months of chemotherapy, I'm in remission from my cancer. I actually have a pretty average life now. It's January and second quarter just started.

"Bella!" A female voice yells, drawing my attention. I look up from the book I was reading to see Jessica Stanely running towards me. "Bella you _have _to come with me. A new family just moved in and they are gorgeous! There's this one with messy bronze hair…" Her voice trails off as she goes into la la land.

I really don't see the big deal but I want her to leave me alone, and so that's how I find myself being dragged through the hallways of our school and into the parking lot. We look through the rows of cars and see the Headmaster, Mr. Greene, talking to the most handsome man I've ever seen. He has beautiful blonde hair that comes down to his collar, pale skin, and kind gentle eyes that seem to sparkle. I usually don't agree with Jessica but now I'm very glad she pulled me along.

"Just wait till you see the kids." She whispers in my ear. "You think the dad is gorgeous but his sons are ten times better."

I laugh a little at this. I feel almost bad that we're practically stalking this new family. And that's when the teens walk into view. There are five of them, and they are the most incredibly beautiful people I've ever seen. They all look like movie stars, and I'm wondering what in the world are they doing in Forks.

There is one in particular that catches my eye. He has honey blonde curly hair, pale skin (like the rest of his family), a lean muscular body, and eyes that would make any girl swoon.

"You're right Jessica." I manage to get out. "They're wonderful. And they could turn out to be complete idiots but _every_ girl at our high school will be wanting to get their hands on them." Jessica nods her head and we slowly get up from the red truck we had been hiding behind.

It was almost the end of lunch, and we didn't want to be late for fourth period. I quickly grab the book I had left in the cafeteria and run-walk over to English II with Mrs. Jensen. As I walk inside, I immediately notice the boy I had been staring at earlier, standing in the front of the classroom. He looks over at me and makes my whole face flush. I try to walk to where my seat is in the back of the classroom but my foot catches on someone's backpack and I start to fall. Immediately a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist and catch me before I hit the ground. As I am set upright, I feel mortified and turn around to thank the person who caught me. And it's that boy. As my face turns bright red all over again, I quickly stutter out a thank you and carefully walk to my seat.

As soon as I sit down, the bell rings indicating that fourth period has begun. Mrs. Jensen gets up from her desk and closes the classroom door. Then she turns towards us and says, "Class we have a new addition to our students. This is Jasper Hale, and he and his family just moved her from…"

"Alaska." Jasper supplies. His voice sounds like honey, which reminds me of the color of his hair. I can visibly see all the girls in my class swoon over him and all the guys try not to show their jealousy. Even Mrs. Jensen has to compose herself for a second before going on.

"Well then." She says, as she clears her throat. "I want all of you to make Mr. Hale here feel as welcome as possible. Now let's see…" She taps her foot and looks around the room. I suddenly realize she's looking for a seat for him. And the only available seat is next to me.

"Jasper," The teacher says while gently placing a hand on his arm. I see him try not to shudder at the unwanted contact. "There is an empty seat over by Bella. Bella raise your hand." I slowly raise up my hand and watch everyone's eyes turns toward me. Several of the girls are glaring. "You can go sit in the empty seat by her. I'm sure you two will get along." Jasper just nods his head and makes his way over to where I'm sitting.

I feel my nerves go on edge as he sits down next to me. Why do _I _get to be the 'lucky' girl? I'm a complete mess and as soon as he realizes about my cancer, he'll probably treat me like a little girl. Just like everyone else does. We all know I'm going to die eventually. My remission is just lengthening out the process.

"Hello." I hear a silky voice whisper. I slowly turn my head to the left and see Jasper staring at me. "You must be Bella, though I believe we already met." My ears go red as I remember my fall just a few minutes ago.

"It's alright." He says with a gentle laugh. "I'm not judging." And then I realize that he has a slight southern twang in his accent.

"You said you're from Alaska…" I began. "But your voice sounds kind of southern. Did you ever live in the South?"

He looks mildly surprised at my question, and for a second I almost thought I saw an impressed look in his eyes. "Actually, yes, I did live in Texas for a little bit. You see, the Cullens adopted me when I was eight. That's when I moved to Alaska."

I nod my head and turn back to the front of the classroom, trying to focus on the lesson Mrs. Jensen was teaching. Jasper seemed to get the hint and began focusing too. And that was how I met Jasper Hale.


	2. Chapter 2

**Just so everyone knows:**

**Bella – Sophomore**

**Jasper – Sophomore **

**Edward – Sophomore**

**Alice – Sophomore**

**Emmet – Junior**

**Rosalie – Junior **

**Thanks **

It was raining as school got out. Big surprise. One of the things I missed most about Phoenix was the sunny days and warm air we often got. Here in Forks, a sunny day is a rarity that I wished happened more often.

Charlie finally came to the school to pick me up. I used to be embarrassed by the fact that my only method of transportation was a police cruiser but I'm over it. I have bigger things to worry about now. Speaking of which, Charlie is taking me to the hospital right now for a check-up. I have them once a month, just to make sure the cancer isn't back.

When we arrive, Charlie and I both run for the front doors to get out of the now pouring rain. Inside we are greeted by the hospital secretary, Jenny.

"Hello Mrs. Swan, Chief. We've gotten ourselves a new doctor today so I printed out all of Bella's forms so you can give them to him. His name is Doctor Cullen." At the mention of his name Jenny blushed a little and fanned herself.

"You're really lucky Bella." She says. I snorted at that. Me? Lucky? I have _cancer_! She broke into my inner rant by saying, "He is definitely the most _handsome_ man I've ever seen! And so kind…"

Just then the doors were opened from the lobby and a man walked in. A man I recognized all too well. It was Jasper's father! The only difference from his appearance this morning was he was wearing a white lab coat now and his blonde was more slicked back.

"Hello Mrs. Swan." He said in a gentle voice. "I'm Doctor Cullen and I will be attending to your check-ups from now on. If you could be so kind as to grab your forms, then we can head into my office for everything else." I managed to nod my head and shuffle over to the front desk where Jenny looked like she was going to have a heart attack.

I grabbed the forms and walked with Charlie and Doctor Cullen to a room I've never been in before. And I've been in a _lot_ of hospital rooms.

I went over and sat on the table, already used to this procedure. Doctor Cullen came over and began to check my blood pressure and temperature.

"So Bella… I can call you Bella right?" I nod my head at his question, his cold hands ghosting over my arm as he removes the sphygmomanometer. "Well Bella, what grade are you in."

"I'm a sophomore." I reply.

His eyebrows shoot up. "Oh really? You look so much older." This comment gets me blushing. "I have several kids who are sophomores. Perhaps you've met them? Let's see there's Alice, Edward, and Jasper."

At the mention of Jasper's name, my pulse starts racing. The doctor must be super tuned to hearts and blood because he immediately notices the change.

"Ah I see." He murmurs. "You've met Jasper I presume?" I nod my head. "Well try to keep him out of trouble. You see he's quite the troublemaker."

I can tell the Doctor's joking and I laugh. "I'll try my hardest sir."

"You can call me Carlisle is you'd like. But only if you feel comfortable." And for some reason, I _do_ feel comfortable with him. I feel safe. So I say,

"Alright Carlisle." And I can tell we're going to be good friends.

The next day at school, I walk into the cafeteria and immediately notice _them_. They sit at a table by themselves in the corner of the room, all five of them just picking at the food on their trays and not really eating anything.

I walk through the food line, not noticing what I'm putting on my tray. I pay for it at the register and then walk towards the table I usually sit at. I sit there along with Mike Newton, Angela Weber, Jessica Stanely, Lauren Mallory, Eric Yorkie, and Tyler Crowley. Today the topic of conversation is the party Mike has been planning for this weekend. He wants to take a group of friends down to the rez and have a barbecue, swim, stuff like that.

"What about you Bella?" Someone asks me. I look up to see Eric making a pleading face at me. "Pleeeease say you'll come this time!"

I shake my head. "You _know_ I don't feel comfortable swimming. And besides, it's January! Who wants to be in the water now, when it's ice cold?" There are murmurs of agreement from around the table and Mike looks offended.

"C'mon guys." He pleads. "It'll be fun!" Just then the bell rings stating lunch is over. We all get up and go to our various classes. And that's when I realize I'll have to sit next to Jasper again. I don't mind sitting next to him (in fact I secretly _really _enjoy it), but I feel like he's going to think I'm a complete idiot! His golden eyes are so sharp and keen. And gorgeous…

When I walk into the classroom I see that Jasper is already in his seat. I take a deep breath and force myself to calm down. I slowly walk to my chair, so as not to trip and embarrassment myself again. As I sit down Jasper turns to me and smiles. I nearly have a heart attack. His face is so gorgeous; I don't know why he isn't off modeling for Hollister instead of sitting in my English class. I notice that one of his curls has fallen into his face and I have the strangest urge to brush it away with my hand.

And then I realize I'm staring at him and my face turns red once again. "H...Hey Jasper. How are you?" I'm surprised my voice doesn't shake when I talk.

"I'm good Bella, thank you. I heard from my father that you came and visited him yesterday." My heart starts slamming in my chest and my blood turns cold. Doctor Cullen told Jasper about my leukemia? How could he?

Jasper seems to notice my apprehension and adds, "I was just wondering if you got hurt or anything. Since you _are_ kind of a klutz." I give a shaky laugh at that. He had only moved in yesterday and he already realized what a klutz I was… But that didn't matter. What mattered was that he didn't know about my illness.

"So do you have any plans for this weekend?" I ask, trying to take the conversation away from me.

Jasper shakes his head. "No. What about you?"

I think for a second. "Mike Newton is having a sort of barbecue/party this weekend. I know we don't know each other that well but…" I bite my lip and try to gather my courage. "Maybe you'd like to join me? I mean, come with me to the party? I'm sure the others won't mind I invited you."

He looks as if he's actually thinking about my answer. His nose is wrinkled in concentration and I can't help but think how cute he looks…

"Where is it at?" Jasper asks, breaking my train of thought.

"Huh?" I ask intelligibly.

He gives a small smile at this. Don't even get me started on his lips…

"The party." He clarifies.

"Oh!" I say. Stupid me, I forgot to tell him the location! "It's down at the reservation. It has a pretty nice beach and we might even be able to swim." My thoughts turn to Jasper. In a swimsuit. _Stop it_! I yell at myself. _You just met the guy yesterday and now already you're picturing him shirtless._

Jasper looks sad as he says, "I would like to come, really, it's just I don't think I can make it to the reservation. Since dad's a doctor and all he's kind of wary of us going too far. He's had to many kid's at his office with broken arms and stuff."

I smile even though I feel like my heart is breaking. "I understand. Since Charlie is chief and all he gets pretty protective too. Well, I guess maybe next time then." Though as I say this I know I'll never ask him anywhere again. I feel too ashamed at his rejection, even though he has a good reason.

Jasper seems to notice my sadness and says, "Well, if you're not _too_ set on going to the beach, you could always come over to my house. It doesn't have an ocean but we could watch a movie or something."

Oh. My. Gosh. Did Jasper Hale really just invite me to his house?! "Of course!" I say a little too enthusiastically. I take a deep breath (and notice his delicious scent) and say, "What time do you want me to come over?"

He looks into my eyes and I get lost in their golden depths. "Is six alright? I'm sure my mom would _love_ to make you dinner."

I agree and it is sealed. I have weekend plans with Jasper Hale.


	3. Chapter 3

It's 5:30 on Saturday night. And I feel like I'm going to throw up. I have been pacing around my room for the past half hour after getting ready and my mind is going a mile a minute. What am I _doing_? I have never been to a boy's house before, as sad as it seems. I'm 15 for crying out loud! Some people my age have already lost their virginity! I shudder at the thought.

Because of the leukemia, my past two years of school have been very unsocial and I have spent more time with an IV than with real people. But now I'm in remission. And a gorgeous boy has invited me to spend time with him! _Breathe Bella_. I say to myself.

I decide to glance in the mirror one last time. I tied my wavy brown back with a green ribbon that matches the green sweater I'm wearing. It's the first time in a while my hair has been long enough to do anything with. After my chemo I mostly just wore hats. I'm also wearing blue skinny jeans and a pair of tan flats. I only own flats (I mean really, me and heels is like signing a death sentence)!

"You ready to go Bells?" Charlie yells from downstairs. I quickly grab my purse and run down to meet him.

"I'm ready." I say and I have a slight tremor in my voice. Darn it! I need to control myself.

"What's wrong Bells?" Charlie asks, a look of concern on his face. I just shake my head and put on a smile.

"Nothing. Everything's fine. I'm just a bit out of breath from running down the stairs, that's all." His face grew even more concerned.

"Now you take it easy, okay? We don't you fainting or anything, you're body is still fragile and…"

"I understand Charlie." I cut him off before he can get himself worked up. He may seem rough on the outside but I knew he cared about me and my wellbeing a bunch.

"Anyways," I say, ready to leave. "Can we go now? I don't want to be late."

"Sure." Charlie grumbles. "I still don't know how I feel about you hanging out with a boy, though."

I try not to roll my eyes as I respond, "We've been _over_ this Charlie, Jasper and I are _just_ friends. I only met him two days ago!"

Finally Charlie is appeased and we head out to the cruiser. I sit in the front seat and my nerves suddenly return. What will I say? How should I act? If this goes horribly will I have to awkwardly sit by him in English for the rest of the year? I really want a best friend, I always have. Maybe him and I will get along and I'll _finally _have a real friend!

All too soon, we reach the Cullen's house. Charlie and I both stare in awe for a moment at the huge building in front of us with its perfectly manicured lawn and photo-shop-worthy flowerbeds.

"Well," Charlie finally says. "That's what you get when you're a doctor. See ya later Bells." I decide to give him a quick parting hug, which surprises us both, before I get out of the car and walk to the front door.

I tentatively ring the doorbell and wait for someone to answer. Suddenly the door swings open and I'm face to face with what looks like a pixie. She has cropped black hair, small delicate features, and large golden eyes. _What is it with the Cullens and golden eyes_?

"Hi there!" The pixie girl cheerfully says. "I'm Alice Cullen and _you _must be Bella Swan. We've been expecting you." _Alright_... I think. _That doesn't sound creepy at all_.

"Umm.. H..Hey there." I stutter. I'm _so _articulate.

"You can come in!" Alice giggles. "Jasper is upstairs in his bedroom and I can fetch him for you." I nod my head, step into the house, and watch as Alice dashes up the stairs. She's so graceful in her movements I'm sure it would break any ballerina's heart.

I look around and my eyes open wider. The interior of the house is even more amazing than the outside! The living room has crème-colored carpet and there is a wall made entirely of windows. It faces a beautiful forest with large fir trees and pines.

"You like the house?" I hear a silky voice ask. I turn my head to see Jasper looking intently at me. I suddenly feel like I'm going to throw up again.

"Y..Yea." I answer, feeling my cheeks flush. Why am I _always_ this way around him? I act like a complete idiot! Suddenly a wave of calm washes over me and I feel infinitely better. It was weird but I'm not going to complain.

"So, do you have any movies you were wanting to watch?" I ask.

He thinks for a moment. "I have a few, but would you like a tour of the house first? I wouldn't mind giving you one." My heart melts a little. That's so thoughtful of him!

"I'd love one." I respond. He motions for me to follow him as he walks toward the staircase. I can't help taking a small peek at his butt. Firm and gorgeous like the rest of him. Of course.

"This is Carlisle's study." Jasper says when we reach the top, motioning to the first room on the left.

"Is he home often? Or does work keep him away from the house a lot?" I question, wanting to get to know Jasper's home life a little better.

"He isn't away from us too much; we always see him in the evenings. Unless there's an emergency of course." I nod my head and we move to the next room.

"This one's mine." Jasper says, opening the door so I can look inside. It's a beautiful room with sand-colored walls and fluffy carpet. In the middle room of his room is a large king sized bed. I blush a little and turn my gaze away from it. That's when a notice a guitar sitting on the far side of his wall.

"Do you play?" I ask, motioning to the guitar.

Jasper nods his head. "Would you like me to play for you?"

I quickly agree and he goes and grabs the guitar while I wonder where I'm supposed to sit.

"You can sit on the bed if you like." Jasper calls out and I am grateful. It's like he can read my mind! He knows exactly what to say to make me feel more comfortable. I sit on his bed (which is quite comfy) and turn to where Jasper is sitting on the floor.

"This is a song I learned when I was little." He says and then he starts to play.

_I have sailed a falling sky  
I have charted hazard's path  
I have seen the storm arise  
Like a giant in his wrath_

_Every danger I have known  
That a reckless life can fill  
Though her presence is now flown  
Her bright smile haunts me still_

_Though her presence is now flown  
Her bright smile haunts me still_

_At the first sweet dawn of light  
When I gaze upon the deep  
Her form still greets my sight  
While the stars their vigil keep_

_When I close my aching eyes  
Sweet dreams my memory fill  
And from sleep when I arise  
Her bright smile haunts me still_

_And from sleep when I arise  
Her bright smile haunts me still_

His beautiful voice combined with that adorable southern twang of his makes me want to curl up in a ball and listen to him sing all day. How does he do it? Is there literally _nothing_ he's bad at?

"How did you like it?" Jasper asks, pulling my mind out of its thoughts.

"Oh Jasper," I start. "It was lovely! Is there _anything_ you don't do perfectly?" From somewhere downstairs I hear a snicker. Odd. It's almost like the person could hear our conversation…

"I appreciate the compliment Bella." Jasper says. "It means a lot to me. Now, do you want to watch a movie? I know Esme, my mom, is getting dinner ready. It'll probably be done by the time we're finished watching."

I smile and say, "That sounds awesome! You're mom is awfully kind for making dinner. I'm usually the one who ends up cooking at home. Charlie's version of a yummy meal is a microwave burrito or a frozen pizza." At this Jasper throws back his head and laughs. It's such an amazing sound, deep and throaty and just so… natural.

"Well then," Jasper finally manages. "I'm sure that not having to cook will be a welcome relief. If you ever don't feel like cooking, you can always come over to our house. Esme loves making food for other people." I feel touched at his comment. No one has ever showed me such kindness before.

"Do…do you really mean it?" I whisper.

"Of course." He whispers back. "Why wouldn't we want you back over?" This makes me blush and Jasper stares at my cheeks.

"You sure blush a lot, don't you?" He says, leaning closer and I barely nod my head. His once golden eyes are now a shade or two darker and his proximity is making my head spin. I can literally almost taste his scent on my tongue. Sweet and musky, like old wood and honey mixed together.

"W…Why don't we get the movie started?" I say, backing away from him. He shakes his head and seems to snap out of a sort of trance.

"Sure, good idea. What movie would you like to watch Bella?" I love the way he says my name with that southern drawl of his.

"Hmm…" I think for second. Suddenly a movie pops into my brain. But I doubt he would want to watch it…

"Do you have one in mind?" Jasper asks gently.

My ears turn red as I suggest Romeo and Juliet. He raises an eyebrow but doesn't object or make fun of me for saying it. Instead he says, "Sure thing. I'll show you where the living room is." We walk out of his bedroom and down the hallway into another living room. This one has two couches in it, along with the biggest flat screen TV I've ever seen. Holy cow these guys are rich…

Apparently I must have let my comment slide out of my mouth because Jasper gives a little laugh. "Well our dad _is _a doctor. You can sit wherever you'd like." I go over and sit on the far side of one of the couches. Jasper leaves for a minute and then comes back with a disk in his hand. I silently admire his body as he pops in the DVD and then turns out the lights. As soon as he does, I feel an instant electricity running through my body. It only gets stronger as he comes to sit down next to me on the couch.

I have the strongest desire to reach out and grab his hand but of course I ignore it. As we watch, I feel so tense from the electricity that I can barley focus on the screen. And Romeo and Juliet is my favorite movie.

Finally the movie is over with and Jasper practically runs to the light switch and flips it on. I notice how dark his eyes are and that's strangely arousing. Could he have possibly felt the sparks too?

Esme's dinner was delicious, as I assured her many times. Charlie soon picked me up at 8:30 and I said goodbye to Jasper. Hopefully he enjoyed our visit as much as I did. Because I enjoyed it more than I could have possibly hoped for.


	4. Chapter 4

The next week flew by as I learned more and more about Jasper. I learned his favorite color is green, his favorite genre of music is country, and he's been to over six different countries. Alice is his favorite sibling and he said Carlisle and Esme were the best things that ever happened to him. I asked him how well he remembered his birth parents and he dodged around that question by asking me about my life. This continued as I asked him more background questions. I think he must be sensitive about it or something. I got his phone number and every day after school we would talk on the phone for hours as I did homework and cleaned the house.

Jasper and I's relationship brought back memories of the closest friend I ever had. Her name was Bree Tanner and we met in the hospital during one of my first rounds of chemo. She had leukemia too, and we instantly connected. She had a boyfriend, Diego, whom she loved more than anything in the world. Sometimes we would stay up for hours on end just talking. Bree would tell me about the future she had planned for her Diego. She wanted to be a marine biologist and travel the world with him. She died a few weeks after I met her. Diego was so heart-broken over her death that he committed suicide.

After that, I vowed that I would _never _fall in love. It only ends in misery, especially when you're doomed to die.

Xx

As I walked into the cafeteria on Friday, I almost ran into Alice; the tiny pixie was standing right in my path as I was about to get my food.

"Umm… hello there." I awkwardly said, trying to maneuver out of the way.

"Hi Bell!" Alice cheerfully responded, oblivious to my attempts to move. "Me and Jasper were wondering if you'd like to come eat lunch with us today!"

At this I choked on the air I was breathing. Sit with the Cullens? Was she crazy! Everyone knew that their little table in the back was _strictly _off limits.

Alice seemed to notice my apprehension and quickly said, "The others are okay with it, too, and I promise that Rosalie will be on her best behavior. Plus, Emmet is _dying_ to meet you, since Jasper's talked so much about you and everything."

My nervousness only grew with her words. Jasper had been talking about me? What had he said?

"Please will you come Bella?" Alice asked again. She gave me a puppy-dog face that no one on earth could have refused.

"Al…alright. I guess so." She quickly squealed and grabbed my hand, practically dragging me to their table. Her hand felt like ice inside of mine. Why do all the Cullen's have such cold skin?

As we moved closer to the table, more and more heads turned to watch our progress. It made me blush and I hated the attention. I almost tripped over my own feet but Alice's hand quickly pulled me back up. Finally, after what seemed like the longest walk of my life, we reached the table.

"Hum-mm." Alice cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "Look I brought back Bella! Yay!"

I mentally slapped myself on the forehead. Alice was _way_ too happy about this. And then that's when I realized…. "Alice, you never let me get my food! What am I going to eat for lunch?" Not that I felt particularly hungry right then; in fact I mostly just felt nauseas.

"You can have some of my food." A quiet voice murmured. I looked over to see Jasper pushing his lunch tray towards me. I blushed at the way his golden eyes bore into mine.

"Th…thanks Jasper." I said back, sliding into one of the seats at the table. I picked an apple off his tray and nervously began munching on it.

"So, _you're the_ chick Jazz has been going on and on about." Another voice boomed. I looked up to see the largest sibling staring at me. He had short brown hair and eyes that seemed to sparkle with laughter (if that's possible).

I nodded my head at his comment and kept chewing my apple.

He laughed. "Don't talk much? Seems you and Jazz spend plenty of time talking on the phone each day. That is of course, unless you're having phone sex."

My face turned bright red and I nearly choked on my food. Phone sex? I had just met Jasper a week ago!

"Umm Jasper and I are _just_ good friends. And I don't even know _how_ to have phone sex." I must have said something hilarious because Emmett (I thinks that's his name) started laughing so hard his whole body was shaking. This just made me turn even more red.

"I'm sorry Bella," Jasper said over Emmett's laugh. "that you have to deal with this. Unfortunately he's always this way."

Emmett shook his head. "Jazz admit it you _like _hanging with me, perverseness included. You're not like some _other_ prudish sibling we have. You like to have fun!"

I wondered what 'prudish' sibling Emmett was referring too. I looked around the table. Emmet and Jasper were talking, Rosalie (I think that's the incredibly beautiful blonde one's name) was filing her nails, and Alice was bouncing up and down in her seat while texting on her pink iphone. None of them seemed prudish to me. Then I realized there were only four of them here.

"Where's your other sibling?" I asked, interrupting Jasper in the middle of his sentence.

"Oh, you mean Edward?" I nodded my head. "Umm he's away visiting some family up in Alaska right now."

I wrinkled my nose in confusion. "Why is he doing that in the middle of the school year? I mean, you guys just moved in, isn't that going to be hard on his grades?"

Everyone had gone silent and were all looking at Jasper for his answer. And then the bell sounded. I had never seen four people look more relieved. Odd…

"Come on Bella, let's go to English." Jasper said. And then all thoughts of Edward were pushed out of my head because Jasper took my hand and started walking me to class. _Jasper Cullen was holding my hand._ Oh. My. Gosh. Breathe Bella, breathe, I reminded myself.

Even though at first his hand was cold, it suddenly grew warm and I felt like sparks of electricity were shooting up my arm. His hand was quite a bit bigger than mine but they fit perfectly together, his larger hand encompassing my smaller one.

"Is this okay?" He asked, peering down at me through his long lashes. I didn't trust my voice to work properly so I just nodded my head. I didn't have the guts to admit that this was my first time holding a guy's hand, even though I'm fifteen.

As we walked into Mrs. Jensen's class, I see kids staring at our joined hands and start furiously whispering. I blush and hope Jasper's okay with this. We'd be topic of gossip for weeks. I see Lauren come sauntering over to the table were we sit, her shoving her boobs in our faces while smacking her gum loudly.

"So, like, are you two dating now?" She asks. "Or is it like a brother-sister relationship and you're only being nice to her out of sympathy. I understand if it's the second one, Bella is just the _saddest _thing ever." I push back tears as a lump forms in the back of my throat.

There were so many girls at school who were prettier than me; it was very plausible that Jasper was only being nice to me out of sympathy.

Then I notice Jasper leaning forward, a murderous look on his face as he says, "Don't you _ever_ talk about Bella like that again. She is ten times more beautiful than anyone at this school and she certainly isn't a bitch like you." I love the way his accent gets more intense whenever he's upset.

Lauren looks like she got smacked in the face. "Fine then!" She yells. "But when she dies and you're left mourning at her stupid funeral, you will get _no_ sympathy from any girl here!" With this she spins around and stalks back over to her table, her heels clacking against the ground as she walks.

I look down at my notebook, using my hair as a mini shield between Jasper and I. it isn't long enough to cover much but it's the best I've got.

"Bella," Jasper says quietly. "Bella will you please look at me." I slowly raise my eyes up to see him staring at me. I notice some curls in his face and I reach up to brush them away on impulse. His eyes flutter close as my hand makes contact with his skin, and when he opens them again, they're a darker shade of gold.

"Bella." He says again, his voice a little husky. It's a total turn on for me. "I'm sorry you had to listen to that. Lauren is a selfish bitch who can't deal with the fact that she doesn't always get what she wants." I nod my head in agreement.

"And," He adds. "I am not spending time with you out of sympathy. That would be an insult to both of us. Friends?"

I smile up at him. "Friends." And we are. For now.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! I just wanted to quickly say thank you for all the reviews/follows/favorites! They definitely make my day ;) And also, if you guys have any suggestions or anything you can always write a quick review.**

**The past few chapters have been kinda slow so hopefully the pace will pick up soon. Besides, who doesn't want to see Jasper being a sexy badass? Love ya'lls!**

It was Saturday and I was lying on top of my bed, not really thinking of anything, just drifting in and out of sleep while listening to the gentle thrum of rain on the rooftop. Suddenly the doorbell rings and I sit up in alarm, the noise causing my heart to beat faster and my head to spin. As soon as the room stops looking like it's underwater I bound downstairs to see who it is.

I reach the door and throw it open, surprised at the person who was standing in front of me.

"Jake!" I cry, flinging my arms around his large torso. "It's been forever! And you've grown so _big_!"

He laughed at that comment and replied, "No Bells, you're the one who's shrinking. I think you've lost a couple of inches there!"

I roll my eyes at his antics and let him inside. As soon as he steps in, he starts shaking his head to get the excess rain water out, reminding me of a wet dog.

"Jake!" I cry, trying to get out of the way.

"Sorry." He grins sheepishly. "I forgot what a priss you are."

I narrow my eyebrows at him. "Excuse me sir, I am _not _a..." I didn't get to finish my sentence because he quickly put his hand over my mouth and then pulled me in for another bear hug. He felt so warm and comfy…. Kind of like a giant teddy bear.

"I've really missed you Bells." He murmurs into my ear. His breathe is hot too, causing a slight shiver to run through my body. "Ya know, I wish we could see each other more often. You're far too pretty for your own good! I'm going to have to fend off possible boyfriends left and right." I roll my eyes and he releases his tight grip on me, putting his hand under my chin so I'm staring into his large brown eyes.

"So pretty…" He whispers again as his face leans down towards mine. I suddenly realize what is about to happen and quickly jump back to put some distance between us. My face turns bright red while his looks a little disappointed.

"Umm..S..Should I get you a towel or something because the rain is pretty bad and I don't think Charlie wants you tracking water all over the house not that I'm angry or anything." I say all in one breathe. I quickly turn my back to him and stumble over to the kitchen cabinet, pulling out some chocolate powder mix and two mugs. I glance back over my shoulder to see Jake still standing by the front door staring dejectedly at the ground. I start to bite my bottom lip. I'm no good with these kinds of situations! What am I supposed to say or do? All I feel is embarrassment (and even some guilt) swirling around in the pit of my stomach.

I've known Jake since I was seven. When I used to drive back and forth between Charlie and Renee, Jake was kind of like my rock, my solid lifeline through all the chaos and confusion that comes with a divorce. We would play and laugh together and I always enjoyed spending time with him. He had become sort of like the brother I never had. And now, I was scared. More scared than I've been in a while, because I was nervous that our almost-kiss would ruin that relationship with him. I didn't have many friends, and _none _of them came even close to the amount of love and devotion I feel for Jake. I just hope this won't change things.

"Jake… " I begin slowly, causing his eyes to snap up from the floor to gaze at me. I could see the hurt and embarrassment in them, and I wanted to do everything within my power to make him comfortable again. "I'm… I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting that to happen and…" I just didn't have it in me to put him in the friend-zone. What if he never wanted to see me again?! "I was just really surprised, that's all. I'm not mad at you or anything. We're best buddies, remember?"

He nods his head, a tiny smile beginning to grace his lips. "Ya whatever Bells. You know I'm the only person who can stand to be around you." We both smile at that and suddenly, I feel like things are gonna be okay.

"Would you like some hot cocoa?" I ask, pointing to the empty mugs on the counter.

He shrugs his shoulders. "I guess so. It's impossible to mess up hot chocolate, right?"

I scoff at him and reply, "We _both _know I'm a waay better cook than you so don't even try that with me, mister." I point my finger at him and try to look intimidating but it doesn't work. As soon as I see his face we both burst out into laughter.

He stays for an hour, both of us just chatting and having fun. I notice though, much to my disappointment, that he doesn't seem as cheerful as he normally is. I really hope our moment from earlier didn't affect our friendship for forever.

As soon as he leaves I run up to the bathroom to take a shower. I slowly undress and turn on the facet, allowing the water to heat up before I slip inside. I feel myself slowly unwinding under the constant stream, all the stress and embarrassment of the day slipping down the drain. The shampoo I use is strawberry scented; it's my favorite and definitely helps in the de-stressing process.

After my shower I dry off and put on some sweatpants and a t-shirt as pj's. I've never been one to care much about fashion, and besides, who's going to see me? I let my hair air-dry; since it's so short, the drying doesn't take long and I don't have to do a thing to it.

As I slip into my covers I hear Charlie's cruiser pull up our driveway. I glance over at my alarm clock and see that it's only 8:00. What can I say, l like to sleep!

Xx

Far too soon for me, it's Monday again and I literally have to drag myself out of bed to get ready for school. I had had another conversation with Jasper last night on the phone. The more I talk to him, the more I really get to know his personality. On the outside he seems so calm and collected and almost harsh even, but inside he's got this wild passion about him that really turns me on.

I go to my first three classes mostly ignoring the teacher's and instead daydreaming about traveling the world.

When I get to the cafeteria, my eyes immediately find the Cullen table in the back of the room. This time, I notice there are five people sitting there instead of the usual five. I vaguely remember the fifth boy's face, and then it hits me. With pale skin and bronze hair, I now realize he's the other Cullen brother that had gone on a random trip to Alaska. What his name? Oh yeah, Edward.

I grab my tray of lunch and then walk out of the line, unsure of what to do. Should I sit with the Cullen's again, or was that just a onetime thing? Do they even want me there? They probably want to spend some alone time with Edward since he just got back. With my mind made up, I make my way over to sit with Mike and Angela and them. As I'm walking though, my foot catches on one of the seats and I fall face flat on the floor. I can immediately tell my nose is broken (what with the crunching sound when I fell and all) and the pain smacks me in the face. It feels like a knife is repeatedly stabbing me and tears well up in my eyes. I can sort of hear commotion going on above me but the pain is so bad, I don't even want to think about moving. Untill a pair of cold hands harshly yank up on my arms, leaving bruises for sure.

Through my veil of tears, I can make out Edward's face right in front of mine. He seems to be…. Snarling? But that can't be right. His eyes are the blackest color I've ever seen and they seem to consume me; I am physically unable to look away from his gaze. I hear a distant yell in the background but my thoughts are solely focused on the Cullen face in front of me as he slowly leans forward, bringing his face closer and closer…

Suddenly something slams into him and knocks him over, automatically loosening his tight grip on my arms. I tumble to the ground and look back up. The sight I see is one I will never forget. Everywhere I look, teenagers and teachers are running around, screaming in chaos. My head feels foggy and I glance over to see Jasper and Edward wrestling on the floor of the cafeteria. They crash into one of the tables, sending broken pieces of it flying everywhere.

At some point during all this Alice slips up beside me and gently grabs my arm, trying to get me to follow her. She looks terrified and I can imagine why. Though I don't know why Edward and Jasper are fighting, it looks really serious.

"Bella!" She calls but her voice sounds muted behind the pain in my face. I reach my and up and touch under my nose, feeling the blood trickle down. I brush my finger over my lip and gasp in pain; I didn't realize my lip was broken. Pulling my hand away, I stare at the bright red liquid on my fingertips. And that's when I blackout.


	6. Chapter 6

**Haha I'm so evil, leaving cliffhangers like that… ;) To answer some questions: No, Alice and Edward are not together. As for if Bella will get cancer again, we'll just have to see! WARNING: Mature themes in this chapter, so don't be surprised, I warned you.**

_Beep. Beep. Beep. _A familiar sound woke me up. The sound of a heart monitor. I blearily open my eyes and look at my surroundings. With an IV attached to my left arm and some gauze wrapped around my right, I contemplate my situation. I'm in one of many rooms at Fork's Hospital; it's all decked out with the typical white walls and sterile smell. And then it hits me. Why I'm in the hospital in the first place.

_Oh my gosh_. I think. _What the hell happened_? One minute I was walking towards my lunch table and the next thing I know, Jasper and Edward are in a fight! And if I remember correctly, their little brawl happened _after _Edward had roughly grabbed me and almost broke my arms.

A knock at the door broke me out of my small reverie. I glance over to see Dr. Cullen walking through the doorway, a serious expression on his face and a clipboard tucked under his arm.

"Hello, Bella." He quietly murmurs. His sullen expression starts causing me to panic. I can hear the heart machine pick up my pounding pulse with its erratic beeping. Dr. Cullen gives me a small smile.

"W..What happened?" I ask. "Am I okay?" And then I suddenly realize I haven't seen Charlie since this morning. My heart rate increases even more. "Where's Charlie?" I cry out. "Oh my goodness, he must be so worried about me! Does he even know I'm here? What if…."

Dr. Cullen lifts a pale, slender hand to cut off my word vomit. "He knows you're here Bella. He is waiting downstairs for you to be released." I breathe a sigh of relief.

"So…" I trail off unsure how to begin. Yes, Dr. Cullen's my doctor, but he's also Jasper and Edward's father!

"Bella.." He begins and my eyes look up to his face. It's set into a firm yet gentle expression, his jaw clenched hard. "I want to know everything you remember before you passed out. It's very important that we know if you had any serious head injury or not. This is not taking into consideration your broken nose multiple sutures."

I sigh and try to remember all the details I can. Eventually, I begin to recount my tale to the doctor. "Well… I was walking towards my lunch table and," Here my face heats up into a bright blush. "I tripped over one of the chairs in the cafeteria. When I fell, I heard some shouting and I felt someone roughly grabbing my arms. It…It was your son. Edward." At this Dr. Cullen takes in a sharp breathe but seems to have a calm composure.

"I'm sorry, continue." He murmurs.

"Well, after that my memories kind of fuzzy, but I _think _I saw Jasper tackle Edward and they were…" My voice trails off and I shake my head (only slightly, I did just fall on it). "I swear they were fighting! And..and Alice came over to stand by me and that's when I passed out." I finish my story with a big puff of breathe.

Dr. Cullen stares at me for a moment before pulling up his clipboard and writing something down.

"What…What are you writing?" I question.

"I'm afraid there was some brain damage Bella. A concussion, perhaps. You see, Edward _did _come and grab you, but that was only to see if you were alright after your fall. The rest of your memory though… It seems as if you're suffering what we call 'False Memory', a rare physiological phenomenon that occurs when traumatic events happen. Jasper and Edward never fought, but they did have a small argument about whether they should call me or 911 first."

I shake my head, sure I must have heard him wrong. "No…no! I _know _my memory is right. There must have been some sort of confusion or something."

Dr. Cullen looks down at me, a sympathetic expression on his face. For some reason this just makes me even more infuriated.

"What the hell!" I nearly scream, the heart monitor beeping out of control. "I'm not crazy! I'm… I'm not crazy. I know…" Suddenly I break down into sobs, unable to handle the stress from the day. I put my injured face gently into my face and feel a cool hand gently pat my back.

"It's going to be okay Bella. Would you like me to go get Jasper? He's very anxious to see you." I nod my head, my body still shaking with muffled cries. I hear Carlisle get up from his seat and exit the room, leaving me completely alone. I try to control myself, knowing I probably look like shit. What do you expect, not only have I been crying but my face is all bruised and bloody too.

I hear the door open again and peek up through my fingers. There, in all his glory, is Jasper Hale. His blonde curls look completely disheveled in that I-just-had-sex kind of way, his skin looks even more pale than usual, and he has dark circles under his eyes. I just stare at him, unable to form a coherent thought. Last time I saw him, I could've _sworn _he was in a fight, but apparently I'm just crazy.

He slowly walks over to the chair near my bed and sits down. "Hey there." He says, as if he's afraid to spook me or something. I snap.

"Fuck you Jasper." I say, tears again streaming down my face. I'm not even angry at him but I feel so upset at how jacked up my life is, and I'm tired of being treated like a little girl.

For some reason, it's like Jasper can feel my emotions, and he gets that I'm not really angry at him, just the situation. He looks straight into my eyes and says, "I'm sorry Bella. Really. One day, this will all make more sense."

I don't have time to ponder his strange words because Alice suddenly bursts through the door, looking like a Pixie on crack. Jasper gives me a weird look before getting up and walking out, leaving me to mull over his words while dealing with the hyper child in front of me.

Xx

I get home at six that night, feeling drowsy and tired, even though I spent almost the entire day sleeping. I slowly get out of Charlie's cruiser and drag myself up the front steps of the porch. I hear him come up behind me but mostly ignore Charlie as I walk inside, my mind only full of thoughts of my very comfy bed. I feel his hand on my shoulder and I turn around to face him surprised at how close he is to me.

"Umm do you need something Charlie?" I ask. "I'm really tired after today so I don't think I'll be able to make dinner tonight."

He looks at me intently, his brown eyes boring into mine. "Are you happy Bells?"

"Wh..what?" I say, thoroughly confused. He takes a step even closer to me and I feel uncomfortable at the intrusion to my personal space. He towers over, and I curse whichever family member gave me the short genes. Suddenly he leans down and roughly kisses me on the lips, his mouth chapped and scratchy on mine. I let out a cry of surprise in which he takes the opportunity to shove his tongue into my mouth, swirling it around and making me gag.

"Char.." I try to get out but he forces me back against the wall and grips my arm tightly with one hand, taking his other one and slowly trailing it down my side until it rests against my hip, firmly grabbing it so I have no chance of moving away. He stops kissing my mouth and moves onto my neck, kissing and sucking and licking until I feel like I'm going to throw up.

Tears streaming down my face I try again at my attempt to stop him. "Charlie." I whisper, not even sure he'll hear my over my erratic breathing. But he does. And he stops. He lifts his head up from my neck and looks at my horrified expression, until his face mirrors mine.

"Fuck what have I done…" He whispers, before running out the front door, climbing into his cruiser, and driving off to who knows where. I try to slow down my breathing, sobs pouring out of me until it sounds like I'm hyperventilating.

Slowly, my heart rate returns to (mostly) normal and I try to comprehend what just happened. Charlie kissed me. On the lips and neck. And he pinned me against the wall. Is that considered sexual abuse? I certainly feel dirty, like I want to jump into the shower and scrub my skin until it's raw. But my plans are interrupted by my cell phone ringing in my pocket. I slowly pull it out with a shaking hand and check the caller ID. It's Alice.

"He..hello?" I ask, my voice trembling and shaky.

"Oh my gosh Bella!" She cries. "Are you alright? I was just calling to check in and see if you made it home safely."

I start sobbing into the phone as I recount to her what just happened. She remains quiet, listening to my story without comments or interruptions. When I'm finished talking she takes a deep breath and says quietly, "I don't think Charlie was in his right frame of mind today Bella. Seeing you hurt really frightened him, and I think he was just overly emotional and protective. Now I am _not _excusing his behavior, it was certainly not acceptable. Perhaps you would like to stay at our house? Just for a few days, until things calm down and you can have some think time."

I nod my head and then realize she can't see me. "Okay Alice. I need to take a shower and pack a few items. Do you think you could pick me up in thirty minutes?" She agrees and I hang up the phone.

I take me time in the shower, thoroughly scrubbing my entire body (especially my neck). I get out and put on some comfy clothes, not caring about fashion at a time like this. I pack a few outfits into a bag and walk downstairs to wait for Alice.

The ride to the Cullen's is silent, for there is nothing to say. We get there in ten minutes and I slowly get out of the car, not overly excited to be here. Alice seems to sense my apprehension and gives me a gentle smile. "Come on." She says. "Jasper's waiting inside."

We walk inside and I notice the Cullen's house doesn't hold the same charm for me as it used to. I hear a noise in the kitchen and see a woman I've never met before. She has caramel colored hair that curls gently around her heart shaped face.

"Hello dear." She says softly. "You must be Bella Swan." I nod my head, not really in the mood to meet new people. "I'm Esme, Carlisle's wife. It's nice to finally meet you." Again I nod my head and look around for Jasper.

"Jasper's upstairs in his room." Alice supplies before dancing away.

I walk up the staircase and make my way over to his bedroom. As I reach his door, I hear the sound of his guitar come towards. And then I hear his voice. My memory of his singing does not do it justice, the way his southern twang combines perfectly with his melodic tone. I slowly open the door and peer inside.

Jasper is sitting on his floor, Indian style, with no shirt on and (very tight) gray sweatpants. Despite the situation I was just in, my teenage hormone-ridden body can't help respond to the sight before me. The guitar rests against his stomach, but I can still see his six-pack peeking through around the instrument. I also see small marks all over his chest and shoulders, and I suddenly realize they must be scars. He notices I've entered his room and he jumps up with a start, sets his guitar on the ground, and runs over to where I'm standing.

"Bella." He murmurs softly, pulling me into a hug. His whole body is cold and hard, almost like he was made of marble, but it seems to fit perfectly with my soft warm one. I lightly trace my hands along his back and I swear I can hear him almost purr at the touch. Which totally turns me on. He pulls back and looks down at me, his eyes almost pitch black.

"Bella." He whispers again, lightly trailing a hand across my cheek while slowly leaning down closer to me, his sweet breathe fanning across my face. My heart pounds wildly, and that's when I realize I'm about to kiss Jasper. And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be.


	7. Chapter 7

**So that last chapter… ya that was kind of unexpected. But I feel like in real life, people make stupid mistakes; no one is perfect and that includes Charlie. Also someone asked if Jasper knows about Bella's cancer and the answer is yes (but she doesn't know that). Shout out to **** .X**** for leaving such sweet reviews that make my day ;) On with the story! (We want to get to the kissing scene!)**

_"Bella." He whispers again, lightly trailing a hand across my cheek while slowly leaning down closer to me, his sweet breathe fanning across my face. My heart pounds wildly, and that's when I realize I'm about to kiss Jasper. And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be. _

He leans in closer, sparks flying across my hands where they are pressed against his bare back. I gently shut my eyes and that's when his lips touch mine. And I lose all control.

So yeah, I've never kissed before. But that doesn't mean I haven't figured out the gist of it. I feel his cool lips press softly against mine, almost as if he's scared as to how I will react. My heart pounds loudly as I pull him closer, desperate for more contact. I push my lips against his in a sort of rhythm, moving my hands up to wrap around his neck. And then I feel his cool tongue sneak out to gently trace along my bottom lip. I suck in a surprised breath and Jasper takes the opportunity to plunge his tongue inside my mouth, licking and sucking my bottom lip lavishly. He tastes like candy and I feel like I'm getting high off the nearness of his body. I suddenly feel myself getting shoved against his doorframe, all pretense of control gone. His pitch black eyes rove over my body and even though I'm fully clothed I feel completely exposed in front of him.

"Damn it Bella." He growls. "You make me lose my self control so easily whenever I'm around you."

I bat my eyelashes up at him flirtatiously. "Then don't fight it. It's actually really hot whenever you just let go…" I don't finish my sentence because Jasper's lips are latched onto mine almost instantly, viciously sucking and licking whatever he comes into contact with. I feel a strange sense of pride knowing _I'm _the one who's making him lose control like this. I press myself into his body, running my hands over his six-pack and mentally drooling. How in the _heck _did I ever find myself making out with someone so hot? My hands wander back down over his solid abdomen and I feel a rush of adrenaline that makes me gently push my fingertips down into the front of his sweatpants, feeling "the v" that all girls want on their boyfriends. And I find out that I'm not so different from the rest of them. Jasper shudders as my warm fingers gently brush against the outside of his boxers, his erection painfully obvious now.

"Bella." He says in a strangled voice looking down at me. "I..I don't think we should go any farther. You just got back from the hospital and well…." And Charlie kissed me. That's what he was not saying. I suddenly feel so ashamed, so _dirty, _to just be able to have my dad kiss me and then move onto the next guy. I had never kissed anyone in my life and now I've kissed two people on the same day. Disgusting.

"I'm..I'm sorry." I blubber, putting my hands over my face to hide the tears there. Why oh why do I always end up crying around Jasper? Poor guy, probably thinks I need help from a phycaitrist or something. He places a hand on the small of my back and pulls me into a gentle embrace. Immediately I feel calmer.

"Would you like to get some rest?" He asks. "It's around 8 o'clock and you've had quite the day."

I nod my head and he pulls me up into his arms bridal style, so that my face is flush against his chest and my legs are dangling from the crook of his arm.

"Jasper!" I cry out, my face red and flushed. "What do you think you're doing? I am perfectly capable of walking myself to another room."

He grins down at me and it makes my heart stutter. "Well darling, I figure a princess such as yourself deserves special treatment." That southern twang though…

Jasper pushes open his bedroom door using his foot and walks down the hallway towards another room. He opens the door and I look inside. It's a beautifully decorated guest bedroom, with light green walls and crème colored carpet. In the middle of the room is a poster bed with a fluffy golden comforter. I was so tired I automatically yawned at the sight of it. Jasper walks over to it and gently sets me down.

"If you need anything just call for me okay?" He turns to leave and on a whim I reach up and grab his wrist. Lightning shoots through my fingertips at the contact but I focus on his face.

"Stay with me?" I mumble, so sleepy I can barely form the words.

He peers down and me through thick lashes and I audibly sigh. He says, "Alright." Jasper sinks down onto the bed, it dipping under his weight. I roll over to face him, lazily throwing my arm over his waist and placing my face snugly under his chin. His cold body melts into my warm one and I feel so content, it's as if little bees are buzzing throughout my body.

"Goodnight Bella." He whispers, gently placing a kiss on my forehead. And then I'm asleep.

Xx

When I wake up, I immediately notice that Jasper is not lying next to me; instead I hear his and Carlisle's voice floating towards me from the open doorway. I quietly get up and walk towards the open door, careful not to make too much noise. I hear bits and pieces of their conversation but none of it makes much sense.

I hear Jasper say, "…she doesn't have a clue. When Carlisle?"

"We must be patient. After all that's happened, do you really want to put something else on top of all that? We must think about her Jasper. I understand you're impatient but…"

"Of course I'm impatient! She…" And then, being lucky me, I accidentally trip over my own feet and spill out into the hallway. The two males were standing a little further down the hallway and both looked up startled at the loud noise.

"Bella!" Jasper exclaims. He ran over to where I was currently lying on the floor and gently helped me up. He quickly checked the stitches on my forehead, lightly ghosting a hand up my bare arm. I shivered at the contact but remained blank-faced. What had they been talking about earlier? What was Jasper impatient about? And then my heart stopped. Did…could it possibly have something to do with my leukemia? I thought Jasper didn't know about it but maybe…. It would make sense. If they knew about some bad news and they didn't want to tell me about it.

Jasper gave me a strange look and lightly shook my shoulder. "Are you okay Bella? You seem kind of… out of it."

I shake my head. "Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. I think I'm just still waking up that's all." I give a weak smile and look over towards Carlisle. "Have you heard anything fr…from Charlie?" I shudder lightly after saying his name.

Carlisle gives me a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, but no. I'm afraid you'll have to put up with us for a little bit longer." I laugh at that. He continues, "Jasper can give you a ride to school tomorrow. Alice went to your house and got your school bag so you don't have to worry about it."

I smile at him. There really are some good people in this world. Throughout my entire life, I have never met people as kind and as _selfless _as the Cullen's. They're always putting my needs before their own, even if it's not convenient or necessary. "Thank you Carlisle." I say sincerely. He smiles back before walking into one of the rooms. I turn towards Jasper and ask, "What time is it?"

"Almost noon." He responds. My eyes nearly bug out of my head.

"Noon?! I nearly slept the entire day! Were you ever planning on waking me up or just letting me sleep into the next century?"

"Sheesh Bella calm down." He says, trying hard not to laugh. "It's actually pretty normal for teens to sleep in that late. And besides, what else should you be doing? You were in the hospital yesterday!"

I felt a wave of calm rush over me. "Okay, fine. But I need to use the restroom." And then I remember that I'm talking to Jasper. With probably the worst case of bed-head and morning breath the world has ever seen. It's as if he can feel my panic; his eyes widen slightly and he quickly asks me what's wrong.

"I need a mirror! Oh my gosh I must look terrible…."

Jasper gives me a gentle smile. "Actually you look pretty adorable. I love your brown hair like that…" He runs a hand through my hair and my cheeks turn bright red.

"O..okay. But I still need to use the bathroom." He motions a finger towards me and I follow him back into his bedroom, and then into _his _personal bathroom.

"Take all the time you need." He says, and then walks away. As soon as he's gone I dare to glance into the mirror and have to keep myself from shuddering in horror. Because I look _terrible_. My hair is a rats nest, my nose is all purple and splotchy, and the stitches make my place skin look like Frankenstein. I try to keep my composure but all I feel is complete and total humiliation. How could anyone look at me without mistaking me for a zombie? How could Jasper want to _kiss _me?

With tears of disgust streaming down my face, I quickly undress and hope into his large bathtub (complete with jets. Stupid doctor). I run the water as hot as I can bear it before slipping inside. His shampoo smells amazing; musky and sweet and just completely Jasper-ish. I revel in the scent as I use it to wash my hair. When I'm finished, I grab a towel sitting next to the tub and wrap it around my body. And that's when I realize I don't have any clothes to change into.

"Shit." I mutter, not wanting to walk around the Cullen's house with only a towel to preserve my modesty. I hear a knock on the bathroom door.

"Who is it?" I ask, unsure why anyone would need to use this bathroom at present. I distinctly remember Jasper telling me to take my time…

"It's Alice!" I perky voice replies. I try not to roll my eyes at the happy voice. Some people were a little _too _happy…

"What do you need?"

"Actually," She responds, "I think I have something _you _need. May I come in?"

I walk over to the door and open it. The little pixie is standing there, a gleam in her eye and a bright pink tote bag in her hand. She nearly shoves me into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

"It's pretty time!" She exclaims excitedly, shoving me down onto the closed toilet seat.

"W..what?" I respond intelligently, thoroughly confused as to what was going on.

"Here." She responds, shoving some clothing items into my arms. I slowly stand back up and look at what she has given me. It's a black lacy bra, a black thong, a light blue blouse with pretty white flowers on it, and a pair of skinny jeans.

"What the… Alice what is this?" I ask, shoving the thong in her face.

"Trust me!" She sing-songs. And then she giggles. After giving me a thong, she fucking giggles.

"Whatever." I growl, turning my back to her to at least _try _and preserve my modesty. I let the towel drop to the floor and quickly slip on the underwear. Next is the blouse, which turns out to be extremely low cut. And finally comes the skinny jeans, which I take a few minutes to struggle into (hey in my defense my skin is still pretty damp and jeans aren't the easiest material to slip on). When I finally finish dressing, Alice spins my body around and sits me down on the floor. She reaches into her tote-bag of doom and brings out a huge case filled with who-knows-what.

"Alice." I ask in a low tone of voice. "What is that?"

She just smiles sweetly at me and pulls out a bottle of foundation. She spends the next forty minutes -forty fucking minutes- to apply makeup on my poor face. I eventually decide enough is enough and not-so-nicely tell her to stop. She agrees (with a pout) and we finally leave the bathroom. My stomach growls and I glare over at the brunette.

"Well!" She exclaims. "Guess that's my cue to go get some lunch. What do you say Bella? I could make us some soup? Or sandwhiches? Or steak.." By now she has a tremendously excited look on her face and has already started dancing her way to the kitchen. I slowly trail behind her, not so sure about seeing Jasper again.

I make it to the bottom of the stairs and glance into the kitchen. There are three people inside. Alice, Esme, and Jasper. I leisurely walk into the room and all three turn around to face me.

"Holy shit." Jasper mutters, his eyes roving up and down my body. I blush and try to cover myself up with my hands. Jasper quickly walks over to where I'm standing and pushes my arms down to my sides. "You look beautiful." He murmurs in my ear, placing a soft kiss there. I feel my cheeks get even more red. I look over to see Alice looking smug and Esme looking proud. Then my stomach growls again, totally ruining the moment. I give a small laugh and Jasper moves his head to look at me.

"Hungry?" He asks, a look of mirth in his eyes. I lightly punch him in the arm and walk over to see what Esme is making.

I eat the soup she made, and talk to her and Alice. Jasper just sits next to me, staring at my face the whole time. I feel a little self conscious, but he rubs soothing circles on my back and I feel better. By two o'clock, I feel satisfied and happy, laughing at another one of Alice's amusing tales. I feel more at home here than I have at Charlie's, and for once, I forget all about my worries.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry it's taken so long for me to get this chapter up *blushes heavily as shameful music plays* and to be honest, I really don't have any good excuses. So yea, here we go! (Oh and if I had been naming my chapters, I would've called this one 'answers').**

_Briiing. _The lovely sound of a blaring alarm clock is the first thing I hear. Next is Alice's voice screaming from outside my locked (on purpose) door saying, "No one likes being ugly Bella so get your lazy ass out of that bed _right now_!"

I sigh at the loss of my once peaceful slumber and slowly make way out of bed, heading towards the bathroom. I take as much time as possible washing my face and changing out of my comfy PJ's into the (ridiculously perfect) matching outfit Alice has set out for me to wear. I look in the mirror and notice the swelling from my stiches has gone down considerably and the bruises have faded somewhat. This puts me in a good mood, and I happily walk to my bedroom door. When I open it up, I come face to face with a very unhappy Alice.

Pouting out her bottom lip, she practically whines as she says, "What took you so long?! I've been waiting out her for _hours_."

I giggle and shake my head. "Alice, it's only been like five minutes. Calm down."

She just pouts some more and pushes me aside so she can walk into the room. I notice she's carrying her pink tote-bag-of-doom again, and I inwardly groan. It must have shown on my face though, because she says, "Now, now Bella. Don't be that way. Don't you want to be all prettied up for Jasper?"

At the mention of his name, I feel my cheeks start to redden. "Fine." I practically growl. "But _only _if you don't make me wear those shoes you set out." The shoes in question were four inch high heels that Alice had deemed appropriate for school.

She whines again. "But Bella, they go so well with your outfit! And if you wear them, you and Jasper will almost be the same height!"

I shake my head firmly. "Nope. There's no way I'm budging on this one. Me in heels is just a disaster waiting to happen. I already broke my nose once this weekend!" At the mention of (what I've dubbed 'the event') she looks down in guilt and remorse. I feel guilty for making her feel bad, but at the same time I'm still kinda pissed about the whole thing. I _know _for a fact, without any doubt, that Edward and Jasper had been fighting. I don't care what Dr. Cullen says, my brain works perfectly fine, thank you very much. Maybe the Cullen's just don't want me thinking that their 'boys' aren't perfect. I don't expect them to be! I just want to know what's going on.

"Bella." Alice says softly, snapping me out of my thoughts. I look down at the small pixie.

"Yeah?"

"There's…something you need to know…but I don't think I'm the one who should be telling you."

"What do you mean?" I ask, thoroughly confused. "Is this about Charlie? Because I would have you know, I think he is a great father, and if you guys are planning on taking me away then…"

"This isn't about Charlie." Alice interrupts, a strange look on her slender features. "Let's just get you ready. I think Jasper will tell you..." She tilts her head and her eyes suddenly go misty and blank; it looks as if she's gazing at something in the distance, but she can't' quite focus on it. A few seconds go by. Then a minute.

"Alice." I say, gently shaking her shoulder. She doesn't respond. "Alice!" I say again, shaking her shoulder more firmly. Still no response. By now I'm slightly panicking, unsure of what I should do. Is she having some sort of seizure? Should I go get Doctor Cullen? Maybe she's having a panic attack…

"Bella." A voice says, and I turn to see Alice looking at me, her pale looking even whiter than usual.

"What happened?" I cry out giving her a giant hug. "I...I thought you were having a seizure, or a panic attack or _something_. Are you alright?" I step back to give her some space.

"Yea I'm fine." She says, giving me a weak smile. "Just got lost in thought, I guess. Are you ready to put on your makeup?"

I look down at the tote-bag, then her face. She looks so sad…there's no way I can deny her now. "Sure thing Alice." I say gently, hoping that she'll go back to being her usual bouncy self. She doesn't disappoint.

Tugging on my hand (rather roughly) she drags me into the bathroom and sets to work on making me 'prettied'. I sit patiently, and wait for her to finish. While she's applying my eye shadow, my mind wanders back to the weekend, and the events that have taken place. First, Jake tried to kiss me. Then I fell on my face in the cafeteria and Edward and Jasper got into a fight. Then Charlie kissed me and then _Jasper _kissed me, too. Several times. Screw my life, this has to be the most insane and unbelievable weekend I've ever had. And I have cancer. I wonder where Edward is right now. I haven't seen him since Friday…

"Done!" Alice announces, and I slowly open my eyes and look at the mirror. She's put a gold, shimmery eye shadow on my lids that makes my brown eyes pop, along with the mascara she applied. The foundation evens out my skin tone and makes my broken nose less noticeable (though I still think it looks pretty freaking bad). She also put a light shimmery pink lip gloss over my lips and when I rub them together, a little gets into my mouth. It tastes like strawberries, my absolute favorite. Overall, it definitely doesn't look as bad as I thought it would.

"Thanks Alice." I say. "You did a pretty darn good job." She scoffs.

"Half bad, please. I could do makeup for Brittany Spears and get her to look good **(haha sorry to all my Brittany fans out there).**"

I giggle and shake my head. "Fine, you win. The makeup looks great." As soon as I'm finished talking, my stomach makes a dying whale sound. I blush.

"Looks like someone's a little hungry." Alice teases. "Let's get you some breakfast." We walk out of the bedroom and head downstairs toward the kitchen. As we walk down there, I nervously adjust the sweater Alice gave me too wear. I usually don't care too much for appearances but ever since Jasper kissed me, my stomach has been almost queasy with knots of anticipation.

"Stop fussing so much." Alice whispers. "You look fine! After all, it was _me _who did your makeup." I roll my eyes at her cocky attitude, but I do feel less anxious now.

The kitchen is filled with the wonderful smell of pancakes and I practically feel the saliva flowing into my mouth. Yummy!

"Good morning Bella." Esme greets politely as she puts three pancakes onto a plate for me. "I'm glad to see you up and ready. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for all my children…" I giggle at her annoyed face. I know she's not really angry at Jasper. She's much too patient and kind for that.

She hands me the plate of food and I sit down at their beautiful mahogany dining table to eat it. The table look so expensive, I'm almost afraid to eat on it. Seriously, how much money does a doctor make?

Alice notices my hesitation and rolls her eyes. "Gosh darn it Bella, just eat the food! We _are_ able to clean the table you know."

Esme gives her a scolding look. "Be nice, darling! Bella is our guest and we should treat her with respect. She is much more considerate than you ever are, especially when it comes to cleanliness." Alice just snorts and waves her hand.

"Whatever Esme. You know you adore me."

"Unfortunately, that is true." A deep voice says. We all look over to see Jasper standing at the kitchen entrance in only a pair of PJ bottoms, his messy hair giving off that I-just-rolled-out-of-bed vibe. He looks completely hot, and utterly kissable.

My cheeks flushing, I glance down at my food before I can do anything embarrassing. Like drool. Why oh why must he torture me so? Does he have _any _idea what his abs do to my fifteen-year-old brain?

"Morning Bella." A voice whispers in my ear, sending shivers running down my spine. I peek up from my plate to see Jasper leaning over my shoulder, his cold, hard abdomen pressed against my back. I just stare for a moment, unable to speak. The light from the kitchen window shines against him, making his blonder curly hair look like a halo around his head. His eyes are a warm golden color, almost like honey. And he smells like heaven.

"M..morning Jasper." I manage to get out, thanking the language gods that my voice didn't squeak. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm fine."He smirks. "Ready for another rousing day of superfluous edification?"

I cock my head to the side and think for a moment. "Not really but when you put it into big words like that, it actually sounds sort of interesting."

"Anythin' for you darlin'." He comments, thickly laying on that glorious southern drawl of his. I feel a grin making its way on my faced as I continue to stare at his lovely features.

"Hm mm." Esme coughs behind us. My cheeks bloom with color and I quickly look back down at my pancakes, noting the way the syrup has soaked inside, making them all soggy. Gross. I sigh and get to work cutting them into pieces and shoving them into my mouth, trying to ignore Jasper's body as he walks lithely around the kitchen.

I notice that he is getting _me _some water, instead of himself. "Shouldn't you be eating some breakfast?" I ask. Now that I think about it, I hadn't' seen him eat one bite since I had come over on Friday. Weren't teenage boy's stomachs supposed to be black holes? Charlie sure could pack it down.

Almost as if he could feel my confusion, Jasper turned to look at me and said, "I already ate earlier this morning. Esme thought I could use a breakfast in bed." I nod my head slowly, not really excepting his explanation but not wanting to argue with him either. I wolf down the rest of my pancakes and run (well as much as a chronically tripping girl could) up the stairs to brush my teeth. I have a lot of questions running through my head and I'm really hoping that Jasper has some answers. Or else I might go insane.

A few minutes later, Jasper and I are in his golden Audi R8 supercar (how the _fuck _did he get that beauty?) and I'm slowly getting the courage to start my mini interrogation. Alice had opted to give us some privacy and had ridden to school with Esme.

After a few minutes of us driving in silence, I finally decide to make the first move.

"Sooo…" I begin, not entirely sure how to start. Easy(er) questions first? Or get right to the good stuff? I decide to go with the easier(ish) questions first. "Where are Rosalie and Emmett right now? I haven't seen them since school on Friday."

Jasper sighs and runs his slender hand through his hair. "They went up to Alaska, along with Edward. As Carlisle said earlier, Edward and I got into a fight and we both agreed that some distance between us would be a good idea. So that's where they are right now."

"Alaska? Holy crud, do you guys have expendable money? And what about their grades? It's very hard to get into colleges these days, and a few B's and C's could screw that up for them."

Jasper gave out a humor-less laugh. "I seriously doubt grades are the first priority on their minds right now."

"Then what is?" I ask, thoroughly confused. Nothing was making sense anymore! I mean, yea, Emmett didn't seem like the scholarly type, but he still had his future to think about!

Jasper sighed again and looked over at me, completely ignoring the road or the car he was currently driving. "Do you really want to have this conversation right now?" His voice was sober; almost devoid of any emotion.

I slowly nod my head, not sure if this is what I really want. I mean, I want answers, but Jasper looks like he's headed towards his execution!

"It'll be okay." I try to say comfortingly, not really sure who I'm saying that to. He gives me a small smile and turns his car into the parking lot of an abandoned gas station. The perfect place for deep conversations and bonding time. The dark, cloudy sky overhead just added to the whole effect. As soon as the car is parked, Jasper jumps outside leaving me wondering what the heck is going on.

"Jasper…" I ask, my voice trailing off as he comes around to my side and opens the door for me. How sweet. "Jasper." I say again, this time with a little more force. "Where are we going? School will be starting in a few minutes! I doubt Esme would approve of this."

He gives me a wry grin. "Actually, this was Esme's idea. And it's a bit more important than school." With that Jasper takes my hand and yanks me out of the car. His cool skin on mine sends a tingling sensation throughout my body. I am quiet for a little bit as he leads me behind the abandoned building and onto a fractured old sidewalk. Soon though, the cement turns into gravel as we near a forested area. And that's when I stop.

"Umm, look Jasper, it's not that I don't trust you or anything but…"

"You're afraid." He's says. "And confused and a little bit tired. Also, you are upset because you really don't want to be late to school."

I glance at him in bewilderment, more than a little freaked out. "What the… am I really that easy to read? Or are you just freakishly observant."

Jasper's eyes crinkle and a strange emotion fills his features. "I'd have to go with the second one. It's sort of a gift I have, I guess. To be able to read other people's emotions."

I slowly nod my head, no exactly sure how to reply to that. I decide that, "Alrighty then" sums up my thoughts pretty well. Jasper laughs and continues to walk towards the trees almost directly in front of us. The wind is cold and unforgiving on this chilly February morning, and I'm seriously starting to regret not wearing the coat I wanted, instead of the light jacket Alice had given me. When I had tried to argue with her, she had just winked her eye and shoved me away. Stupid pixie.

I shiver again as the sky darkens. Jasper must have noticed my discomfort because he quickly comes to my side, throwing his own sweater around my goose-bump ridden arms. "Th…thank you." I say, my teeth chattering. I grab the sweater tightly and wrap it even closer to my body, reveling in the wonderful Jasper scent. I really hope he doesn't notice my sniffing. That would be awkward.

We keep walking along a path through the trees, and time seems to almost stand still. The limbs are bare and the wind whistles coldly through the branches. A single bird, a Meadowlark, sings softly as it makes in the sky above us. The clouds have stopped moving and I can hear a distant rumbling sound. The rain will soon come.

"Here we are." Jasper says, breaking me out of my reverie. I look down from the sky to see we've reached some sort of clearing in the trees; a meadow of sorts, with no flowers, just wilted dead grass and twigs. The grass crunches underneath our feet as we make our way to the center. Finally, Jasper stops walking and turns to face me, a collected expression on his perfect face. He breathes out a puff of air and closes his eyes, almost as if he's getting ready for something. What that something is, I have no idea.

"Sooo…" I begin. "Your siblings are in Alaska and you have a gift to read people's emotions? That's all I've got from our conversation so far." I look down at me feet, unsure what I'm supposed to be thinking. Or feeling.

Jasper walks over to me and tilts my chin up so that I'm facing him, his cool breath fanning across my face.

"Tell me Bella." He says. "You're a smart girl. List out all the reasons my family is abnormal. I know there's quite a few."

I think about his strange request for a moment. "Well, for one you're all unnaturally beautiful. Which is totally unfair." He snorts at that. "You all have really nice clothes, and perfect hair, and golden eyes. Which is also really weird considering all of you kids are adopted. You never eat, so I don't know, maybe you have some sort of strange eating disorder that I'm unaware of. Which wouldn't make sense since Carlisle's a doctor and…"

He cuts off my blabber by raising up his hand. "Very good Bella, I knew you were observant." Jasper shakes his head, his curls bouncing up and down with the movement. "Now I'm going to tell you something, but you have to _promise _me that you will _not _freak out, okay? Just…just listen to what I have to say before you make any judgments." By now my curiosity is piqued and waves of apprehension and excitement flood throughout my body. What is he going to say? Is it something about Charlie? My cancer? Oh lord, does _he _have cancer? Is that why he's so pale?

"Bella." He says, bringing me back to the present. His golden eyes bore deep into mine, almost as if they could see my soul. "Bella…I'm a vampire."


End file.
